The second Scout Rifle Safari in Africa took place at Fort Richmond Safaris.
The first one was by Col Jeff Cooper in 1998, to conceptualize the Scout Rifle in action.
Seven Gunsite Academy graduates participated in the first week of the Scout Rifle Safari, which included a husband and wife team and two fathers with their sons.
This blog post is about the first 2 hunters – a couple – Bill and Carrie Mazelin from Las Vegas.
‘What a wonderful experience. When Richard first posted the idea of the Scout Rifle Safari on Facebook, and there was room left, I asked Carrie if she’d like to go to Africa on a plains game hunt. She said “yes” and we were off to the races. New rifles, a class at Gunsite, additional practice on our own and constant dreaming about what else we wanted to do and where else we wanted to go whilst in Africa. Then the trip took on a life of its own… Ammunition and the vests from Hornady, the Rifle-Mann Slings from Galco, Michael Bane and his crew filming for the Outdoor Channel. It just kept getting bigger and bigger, and it was great fun to be a part of it.’ Bill Mazelin
A romantic glance while on safari. 
The only woman on The Scout Rifle Safari on making it count.
‘I just wanted to be able to make my shots count each time and work the skills I learned at Gunsite Academy in February. I had been practicing to about 200 yards, and on most of our past hunts my shots were under 150 yards, but at Gunsite we shot at ranges of 300 and even 400 yards. I expected that I would be shooting at greater distances and that the animals would be very skittish, and all of that was true. I liked getting to the range on the first afternoon, and that the range facility had a variety of distances and targets for us to practice. I felt confident, but reserved because this was different than anything I’d done before. Of course, everyone made me feel very comfortable and I was excited to start hunting.’ Carrie Mazelin
Carrie and her Black Wildebeest. She bagged him at 284 yards with a single shot from her Scout Rifle.
Bill Mazelin, very proud of his wife’s hunting wrote the following: I’ve watched Carrie’s evolution as a hunter since the first time we took to the bush together; it’s been great fun to watch her confidence and skill build season after season. This hunt was no different, her confidence continue to grow with each passing day. One of my favorite memories of the hunt was when she shot her black wildebeest. I was able to call the range (284 yards) and tell her where to hold the cross hairs. Leon (our professional hunter) and I then simply waited a few seconds for the shot to ring out. A perfect hit, and that was the longest shot she’d ever put on an animal. Another one was how over the course of a couple of days, she was able to shoot a warthog on the move, not an easy task and she did great.
Bill Mazelin with the Blesbok he took on the second day of The Scout Rifle Safari at Fort Richmond Safaris.
A Black Wildebeest also taken at Fort Richmond.
“All the participants of The Scout Rifle Safari put in a great deal of effort, and we were all handsomely rewarded.” Bill Mazelin
“We will take what Africa gives us.” – Leon du Plessis.
“We all took some great trophies, but the friendship and camaraderie that the hunt camp and the bush offers is always the best trophy.” Bill Mazelin
“Thanks to all of you for a wonderful experience! It truly was the Safari of our dreams. We can’t wait to return for another adventure.” Carrie Mazelin
“It was the trip of a lifetime. We can’t wait to go back!” Bill Mazelin
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